Very interesting food and very reasonably priced. Sometimes African cuisine (I have visited…read morecountries in West Africa) can be very spicy but this was nice and mild with a hot condiment for those who like it spicier. (This was Somali cuisine, so East African.) There is no "menu" but there are some different things ready to go that they've prepared for that day that you can pick from. Because there were several of us they just made a large platter, and do mean very large plate of rice and pasta. It was excellent! Then we had a large platter, and again, it was very generous, of different meats all cooked with traditional spices. We had chicken, lamb and tilapia. I don't usually like fish in restaurants but the tilapia was truly wonderful! We could not eat it all! Took home lots and lots of left-overs. The meal was also accompanied by a banana. We also had a salad to start and water for the beverage. No need for a menu. This has all the earmarks of a neighborhood gathering place and it was clear that locals treated the place like a home away from home. We were made to feel very welcome and even though the service was a bit slow we didn't mind because we were here more to socialize amongst ourselves (3 friends who get together for lunch and try new places a couple of times a month). If you are looking for something different and like to explore really genuine foods from other countries (less 'Americanized') then this is a good place to try. Be aware, however, this is the original hole-in-the-wall. Literally. You can see photos others have posted. Do NOT let that deter you, or you will miss out on the experience. We had a great time!

Quite the experience... We were looking for some food near Colina Del Sol Park. This was open and…read morewalking distance, we figured checking it out. Don't judge this spot by the outside--the food speaks for itself Pulled up to this spot and I'll be honest--it's super lowkey and easy to miss. But once you try the food, you understand why people keep coming back. Here was my experience: AMBIANCE: Parking: Street or small lot, it can get busy based on the time of day. Seating: Inside seating, good for small groups. Maybe room for a total of 20 people. Vibes: Welcome to Midcity/City Heights area! It's not the flashiest part of SD but its definitely a grit and grind gem of San Diego. The spot itself is a no-frill type of spot, all about the food and not the aesthetics. You go up to the window and they'll let you know if you have in the kitchen - chicken, pork, beef, or fish. Super no-frills. This is one of those spots where it's all about the food, not the aesthetic. It almost feels like a hidden kitchen more than a traditional restaurant--but that's part of the charm. Reviewers even note it's "unpretentious" and focused on flavor over presentation FOOD / DRINKS: Chicken Combo (Recommend) This is where it hits. The chicken was well-seasoned, tender, and packed with flavor. Complemented with the rice, it made it extra fulfilling. Salad was simple but nice to have. Well worth the $20~ CUSTOMER SERVICE: Straight business. There was a little bit of language barrier but we got things all squared. TL;DR OVERALL: 3.5 Stars. Good food, simple selections, and quite the memorable experience. It's not a place you come for ambiance--but definitely a place you come for authentic, flavorful food. If you're open to trying something new and keeping it lowkey, this is worth checking out. #SupportBlackOwned TIPS: * This is not your conventional restaurant so come with an open mind! * Cash helps!

Love this place. Hadn't ordered from here in a long while. I ordered egusi and fufu from here last…read moreweek, which is always good. Today I decided to try something different. Okra goat and cow leg pepper soup were perfectly spiced, so flavorful, and just so delicious. I had jollof rice with the cow leg soup which I'm not sure if it's traditional, but for me they went well together- maybe white rice next time be better to taste the pepper soup even more? Cow leg super tender. the goat was both tender and some pieces slightly chewy (depending on the part of the goat the meat is cut from) which if you've ever had goat meat is pretty normal, and I loved it. Every bite followed with a "mMMm". A real pleasure to eat, thank you!! Prices are very fair in this economy.

Nigeria Breeze is a hidden gem! Staff is so kind, ambiance is warm and everything on menu looked…read moredelicious! I am so happy with my okra stew and fufu was so soft. Will come back!

This was my first time here, and I loved it! The employees were the sweetest people, answered any…read morequestions we had about the menu, and gave us great suggestions. We ended up getting the lunch combos so we could get a taste of many different dishes! You can ask them for half & half for rice, meat and/or veggies to get the full experience((: My favorites were the sweet jerk chicken, beef stew, and curry lentils - DELISH.

The service & ambiance are pleasant (hence 2 stars)…read more We used to enjoy this place when it came to Otay Ranch farmers market. The eggplant tasted the same, so we ordered the beef skewers. Awful is an understatement. The beef, you couldn't even chew it and barely got through it with the butter knife provided. The rice is rice. The tortilla-like thing is flavorless and doughy. This cow died in vain. Such a shame, the food used to be so good.

3/27/2026 - located near SDSU parking lot 3 and the bridge. I ordered the Mandazi African…read moredoughnuts . 10 minutes later they came out freshly made and all for $5.32 out the door. About 8 inside and they were fresh, soft and full of cinnamon. Loved these. I will go back here again for the real food! Enjoy.

This restaurant has a setup similar to Panda Express, where you move along the line and they scoop…read morethe food into a box for you. Everything looked really flavorful and appealing, but the taste didn't quite live up to how it looked--it was a bit more mild than expected. We also ordered the sambusas, which were cooked to order, and those were definitely the highlight. They had much better flavor and felt more worth it compared to the rest of the meal. The restaurant wasn't very busy when we went, so it's possible we caught them on an off day. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, may try again in the future.

I tried food for the first time and it did not disappoint! It was fresh and flavorful!read more

Ambiance, service, and food, were great. Had some kabsa for a recent retreat I was a part of and…read morefood was absolutely delicious!! everything was seasoned to perfection and tasted super flavorfu, especially the tomato sauce. there were 2 different types of rice and both went really well with the chicken and the sauce!!

Came here one evening on a whim because it's close to the church my mother goes to. While I had my…read moreeye on the restaurant for a while, I never realized it was so close. The staff are all very welcoming and kind and quickly got me seated with a menu and soon after got my order in, just an order of Derek Tibs, and started. The water I ordered came soon after in the form of a glass and a pitcher. There's a wait time that's pretty typical of ethiopian food that you'll get used to as you have more of it. When it comes to the Derek Tibs, they're honestly a bit bland, but not any more or less so than what I've grown accustomed to. The Berebere sauce (they offered it to me as hot sauce), and the Injera is really what gives it a lot of flavor. Honestly my favorite part of the dry style Ethiopian food is the texture and amount of crust they're able to get on the meats. Overall a very enjoyable experience, I would definitely recommend trying if you get the chance. Likely will return with friends.

as a san diego college student, i am in a tireless search for affordable and nourishing food in…read morehospitable places, and i was able to find this experience at lucy ethiopian restaurant. we ordered the two meat combo, which was satisfying for two hungry adults, and a glass of tej (ethiopian honey wine), which was a beautiful pairing to our meal. even as someone unfamiliar with ethiopian culture, the food and drink made me feel nostalgic, and the peaceful atmosphere of the restaurant contributed to a blissful dining experience. our server was very friendly and helpful, and the service was very quick. i felt very welcomed in this environment, and i will happily return again soon.

TL;DR: best value and African flavor I've found at any farmers market…read more Ordered a large Chicken combo: - double spicy chicken - Makande - Lentils WOW. The amount of food is enough for 2-3 people and it's all delicious. We opted for spicy because we felt the taster of sweet chicken was too sweet for our taste. Pro-tip: If you go to the farmers market, you can bring your own Tupperware and they will fill it to the brim. Get more food and don't create waste - win/win :) Will definitely be back soon Cheers, African Food Kitchen!

WOWOW! We just moved to the area and went to the farmers market and luckily stumbled upon African…read moreFood Kitchen. Holy cow the food is incredible. We got some samples and immediately we knew we were gonna get a plate. We couldn't decide on the sides so the sweet woman behind the counter gave us a little sample of all of them. Everything was absolutely delicious. No notes!! I now know where I will be stopping every Sunday at the farmers market!! 1000/10

Let's start with the vibes. When I walked in, it was definitely a hole-in-the-wall. One review said…read moreit was "sketchy," and I kind of get it, it's not the most inviting space. It feels run down and not exactly like a place you'd want to dine in. That said, I didn't want to be too quick to judge. California is expensive, and it's especially hard for small, ethnic restaurants to maintain a dine-in space while serving labor-intensive dishes. As someone who's Caribbean (Dominican), I get how much time and love it takes to make meals like this, and I respect that hustle. I ordered the egusi, red stew with beef, jollof rice, and got fufu added on at pickup (shoutout to the staff for that, I didn't see it as an option during checkout, and they threw it in for me on the spot). The service was warm and genuine. My food was ready in about 30 minutes, and they were super sweet during pickup. Now, the food. Flavor-wise, it was solid. The egusi was well-seasoned, though the color threw me off , I'm used to egusi being more yellow, but this one leaned red, so I'm guessing they might've mixed in red stew. The jollof rice was very seasoned, definitely a standout. The fufu was okay, but something about the texture or flavor was slightly off. Not bad, just not the best I've had. The biggest disappointment was the red stew with beef. For almost $20, I got two tiny pieces of beef. That felt stingy, though not entirely surprising. I've seen this happen before at West African spots. Still, I expected a little more protein for the price. Overall: * Food is flavorful and portions (aside from the meat) are generous. * The service is friendly and accommodating. * The physical space needs some serious love, it could turn people away at first glance. Would I go back? Probably not, just because I'd like to explore other spots that might offer more consistency. But I do think they're doing their best, and with some improvements to the space and portions, this place could really thrive.

The food was good but for the amount I paid them few lil pieces of meat I got was a lil…read moredisappointing. I got the okra, egusi with goat and fufu. My favorite was the okra soup.

I was skeptical first to order food but food was very delicious…read more I have always tried one particular Somalian food in San Diego but today wanted to try same food but at different place.abdul was very nice person and treated me very nicely. I will definitely will go back next time when I m in San Diego area.

I was looking forward to check out this place. I arrived around 4pm. The restaurant is in the back…read moreof a supermarket. I ordered Chicken stew, grilled salmon, chicken sambusa (the only option), and Mandazi. I wanted to order chapati & maharago but i was told that they didn't have it. It took about 50 min to finally get my food. I loved the grilled salmon! The chicken stew was good too. The chicken sambusa was not too crunchy on the outside and a bit too dry for my taste. The Mandazi was undercooked. The center was gooey. The flavor was good though. The price is reasonable and there's parking out front. Overall, the experience was ok but the food was good.

Stopped by with a few friends to introduce them to Ethiopian food and had a phenomenal meal. I have…read morebeen trying to find Ethiopian food as good as when I first had it in the DC area and this spot is it! Considering everything between taste, price, convenience, cleanliness, and ambiance, this spot is easily one of the best I've had so far. Service was friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. The restaurant is well decorated with traditional pieces. Parking in the rear is a huge plus! We ordered the veggie and meat combo with the addition of Doro Wot. The taste of every component was super flavorful and the meat was tender. All but the raw protein options are halal! The Tej (honey wine) was sweet and very strong. The Tela was similar to a sweet beer with coffee notes. Really glad we got to try both drinks. Overall, a really good spot! I can't wait until my next visit!

I've been to Addis Ethiopian for their traditional food and coffee a couple of times; therefore,…read morethis is legit 5-star review. It's centrally located in San Diego on El Cajon Blvd, where Normal Heights meets City Heights...easy to get to plus there's a mini parking lot. I just looove this Ethiopian restaurant! I feel right home when I'm there especially when I participated in the coffee ceremony. The restaurant is nicely decorated with unique furniture, tableware, and portraits from the culture. The owner and staff are super friendly...ready to answer questions about the menu or accommodate your needs. The service was always greaaat and the food was always deeelish. I highly highly recommend this family-owned restaurant to the Yelp Community :-)